The only limit on the amount of postage that can be evidenced using current postage meters is the amount of postage that is currently deposited in the meter. If that meter is shared, there is no way to limit the amount of postage evidenced by any one user. For example, in environments where meters are shared, such as a workplace, the amount of postage on deposit in the meter is the only limit on how much postage individuals can print. This offers limited control on postage usage and postage expenses cannot be managed effectively. A business or individual may desire to limit the amount of postage that can be used for a specific purpose or used by each individual.
For example, a company's policy might permit employees to use the company's postage meter for personal purposes. This arrangement is typically not problematic if employees mail only one or two pieces of personal mail in a week. However, there is a risk that some employees will abuse the system by processing a large volume of mail. A company may have a relatively high limit on their postage use, and an unscrupulous employee would be able to take advantage of the system without detection. The problem is compounded when multiple meters are available within a facility or a company. A company may have a combination of mechanical meters and online meters. An employee intending to abuse such a system would have several options for printing postage, and it is unlikely that the employee will be caught by the employer. It would be advantageous to have the capability of controlling postage use in order to prevent misuse.
It would also be advantageous if companies could control the use of postage by other parties. For example, at times, companies need to authorize other parties to print postage on the company's behalf. In one case, a third party, such as a print shop, letter facility, or high-speed mail facility, may be asked to prepare mail at its own facility on behalf of the company. The company is then billed for the amount of postage used.
As another example, a catalog company that pays for customers' postage for returned item to the company have to deal with a customer reimbursement policy or other process. It would be preferable instead to be able to authorize an individual, such as a customer, to print the required postage amount to pay for shipping an item back to the company.